Smokey may refer to:

• Smokey (album), an album by Smokey Robinson
• Smokey (mascot), mascot of the University of Tennessee
• Smokey (Friday), a character from the 1995 film Friday
• Smokey Bear, mascot of the United States Forest Service
• Smokey, CB slang for a highway patrolman

People with the name[link]

• Smokey Robinson, American R&B singer and songwriter
• Smokey Rogers, American Western swing musician
• Ernest Smith or Smokey, Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross
• Smokey Yunick, NASCAR designer

See also[link]

• Smokey and the Bandit, a 1977 movie starring Burt Reynolds
• Smokey Joe, a model locomotive
• Smokie (disambiguation)
• Smoky (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Smokey Robinson
Robinson in concert at the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, California, on August 17, 2006.
Background information
Birth name	William Robinson, Jr.
Born	(1940-02-19) February 19, 1940 (age 72)
Origin	Detroit, Michigan, United States
Genres	R&B, soul, pop, adult contemporary
Occupations	Singer, songwriter, record producer, record executive
Instruments	Vocals, piano
Years active	1955–present
Labels	Motown, Universal, SBK, Liquid 8, Robso
Associated acts	The Miracles, The Temptations, Mary Wells, Marvin Gaye
Website	Official website

William "Smokey" Robinson, Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American R&B singer-songwriter, record producer, and former record executive. Robinson is most notable for being the founder and front man of the popular Motown vocal group, The Miracles, for which he also served as the group's chief songwriter and producer. Robinson led the group from its 1955 origins as The Five Chimes until 1972 when he announced a retirement from the stage to focus on his role as Motown's vice president.

However, Robinson returned to the music industry as a solo artist the following year, later having solo hits such as "Baby That's Backatcha", "Quiet Storm", "The Agony and the Ecstasy", "Cruisin'", "Being With You" and "Just to See Her". Following the sale of Motown Records in 1988, Robinson left Motown in 1990. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

Life and career[link]

Early life and early career[link]

Robinson was born in Detroit and raised in the city's North End section. At one point, he and Diana Ross were next-door neighbors; he said he has known Ross since she was eight.^[1] Robinson later told reporters when he was a child, his uncle christened him "Smokey Joe", which Robinson assumed was a "cowboy name for me" until he was later told that smokey was a pejorative term for dark-skinned Blacks. Robinson, who is mainly of African American descent and is light-skinned, remembers his uncle saying to him, "I'm doing this so you won't ever forget that you're black."^[2] Robinson grew up as a fan of Western films.^[2]

Robinson said his interest in music started after hearing the groups Nolan Strong & The Diablos and Billy Ward and His Dominoes on the radio as a child. Robinson later listed Strong, a Detroit native, as a strong vocal influence during an interview with Goldmine as he and Strong shared similar vocals. In 1955, he formed the first lineup of what became The Miracles with childhood friend Ronald White and classmate Pete Moore. Two years later, in 1957, they were renamed The Matadors and included Bobby Rogers. Another member, Emerson Rogers, was replaced by Bobby's sister Claudette Rogers. The group's guitarist, Marv Tarplin, joined them sometime in 1958. The Matadors began touring Detroit venues around this time.

Career[link]

The Miracles and Motown[link]

In August 1958, Robinson met songwriter Berry Gordy, who had recently stopped writing songs for Jackie Wilson after getting into a royalty dispute with Wilson's Brunswick label. Robinson and his group auditioned right in front of him. Gordy was said to have been impressed more at the fact that Robinson was a writer than he was as a singer. Gordy agreed to work with them and with his help, the Matadors released their first single, "Got a Job", an answer song to the Silhouettes' hit single "Get a Job". Following this, the group changed its name to The Miracles after Claudette Rogers replaced Emerson Rogers and signed with End that November, with Gordy as its main producer. During this time, Robinson attended college, starting classes in January 1959, studying electrical engineering.^[3] However, after the Miracles released their first record, Robinson dropped out after only two months.^[3]

After a number of failures and difficulties with money, Robinson suggested to Gordy to start his own label, which Gordy agreed. Following the forming of Tamla Records, later reincorporated as Motown, the Miracles became one of the first acts signed to the label. In late 1960, the group recorded their first hit single, "Shop Around", which became Motown's first million-selling single. Between 1960 and 1970, Robinson would produce 26 top forty hits with the Miracles as lead singer, chief songwriter and producer, including several top ten hits such as "You've Really Got a Hold on Me", "Mickey's Monkey", "I Second That Emotion", "Baby Baby Don't Cry" and the group's only number-one hit during their Robinson years, "Tears of a Clown", while other notable hits such as "Ooo Baby Baby", "Going to a Go-Go", "The Tracks of My Tears", "(Come Round Here) I'm The One You Need", "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" and "More Love" peaked at the top twenty. In 1965, the Miracles was the first Motown group to adapt a name change when they were listed as Smokey Robinson & The Miracles on the cover of their 1965 album, also titled, Going to a Go-Go. Their name change would be confirmed on singles after 1966.

Between 1962 and 1966, Robinson would also be one of the in-demand songwriters and producers for Motown, penning several hit singles such as "The One Who Really Loves You", "You Beat Me to the Punch" and "My Guy" for Mary Wells, "The Way You Do The Things You Do", "My Girl", "Since I Lost My Baby" and "Get Ready" for The Temptations, "When I'm Gone" and "Operator" for Brenda Holloway, "Don't Mess With Bill" and "My Baby Must Be a Magician" and "I'll Be Doggone" and "Ain't That Peculiar" for Marvin Gaye. His top rank as songwriter and producer however dropped by the arrivals of Holland-Dozier-Holland and the team of Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, and even Motown artists such as Gaye and Stevie Wonder. He later contributed lyrics and musical composition for the works of The Contours' "First I Look at the Purse", the Four Tops' "Still Water" and The Supremes' "Floy Joy".

By 1969, Robinson had voiced his opinion on wanting to retire from the road to focus on raising a family with wife Claudette and their two children, and also focus his duties as Motown's vice president, a job he earned by the mid-1960s after Esther Gordy Edwards had left the position and began mentoring Motown acts on the label's Motortown Revues. However, the late success of the group's track, "Tears of a Clown", caused Robinson to stay with the group until 1972. Robinson's last performance with the group was in July 1972 in Washington, D.C.

Solo career[link]

After a year of retirement, Robinson announced his comeback with the release of the eponymous titled Smokey album, in 1973. The album included the Miracles tribute song, "Sweet Harmony" and the hit ballad "Baby Come Close". That same year, former Beatle George Harrison featured the track "Pure Smokey" as a tribute to his idol. Harrison and fellow Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney were also fans of Robinson's songwriting. In 1974, Robinson's second album, Pure Smokey was released but failed to produce hits. Robinson struggled to compete with his former collaborators Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and former Temptations member Eddie Kendricks as all three had multiple hit singles during this period.

Robinson answered his critics the following year with A Quiet Storm, released in 1975. The album launched three singles - the number-one R&B hit "Baby That's Backatcha", "The Agony & The Ecstasy" and "Quiet Storm". However, Robinson's solo career continued to struggle as Robinson mainly focused as Motown's vice president, rather than work on his own career. As a result, several albums including Smokey's Family Robinson, Deep in My Soul, Love Breeze and Smokin, suffered from dismal promotion and even more dismal reviews from critics. Robinson had by then relied on other writers and producers to help with his albums.

Following these albums, Robinson got out of a writer's block after his close collaborator Marv Tarplin, who joined him on the road in 1973 after Robinson left the Miracles, presented him a musical composition he had composed on his guitar. Robinson later wrote the lyrics that became his first top ten pop single, "Cruisin'". The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his first solo number one hit ever in New Zealand. Robinson would follow a similar approach with his next album, Warm Thoughts, which produced another top 40 hit, "Let Me Be the Clock", though it didn't repeat the success of "Cruisin'". In 1981, Robinson achieved a massive hit with another ballad, "Being with You", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number-one in the UK, becoming his most successful single to date. The parent album sparked a partnership with George Tobin and with Tobin, Robinson released his next several Motown albums, Yes It's You Lady, which produced the hit, "Tell Me Tomorrow"; Touch the Sky and Essar. In 1983, Robinson teamed up with fellow Motown label mate Rick James recording the R&B ballad, "Ebony Eyes".

In 1987, following a period of personal and professional issues, Robinson made a comeback with the album, One Heartbeat and the singles, "Just to See Her" and "One Heartbeat", which both peaked at the top ten, with "Just to See Her" winning Robinson his first Grammy Award in 1988. The album became Robinson's most successful to date, selling half a million copies. In the same year Robinson released One Heartbeat, he was inducted as a solo artist to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, later igniting controversy as the committee had only inducted Robinson but not members of his group, the Miracles, which Robinson himself was personally offended by.^[4][5] In 2012, however, the committee ratified that mistake announcing that the group would be inducted on their own merit. Though Robinson was not listed as an inductee, the musician is due to induct his former group at the ceremony in April 2012. The same year he was inducted, the UK group, ABC released a tribute song, "When Smokey Sings".

After Motown was sold off to MCA in 1988, Robinson relinquished his position as vice president. Following the release of the album, Love Smokey, in 1990, Robinson left Motown for a deal with SBK Records in 1991. However, the album, Double Good Everything failed to chart. Robinson remained virtually quiet during the nineties making a brief comeback in 1999 when he re-signed with Motown and issued the album, Intimate, which included the song "Easy to Love". In 2003, he once again split ties with Motown, releasing the gospel album, Food for the Soul on Liquid 8 Records in 2004. Two years later, Robinson released the standards album, Timeless Love, in 2006 on Universal Records. In 2009, he issued the album, Time Flies When You're Having Fun on his own label, Robso Records. Time Flies has been the last album Robinson has released.

Personal life[link]

Robinson married his fellow Miracles member Claudette Rogers in 1959. The couple had two children, daughter Tamla Robinson (b. 1969) and son Berry Robinson (b. 1968), named after Motown's first label and Berry Gordy respectively. Robinson has another son, Trey (b. 1984), with another woman, during his marriage to Claudette. After Robinson admitted this, he filed for legal separation and, later, divorce, which was granted in 1986. The Robinsons had separated once before, in 1974, and Robinson conducted an extramarital affair that became the concept of the song, "The Agony & The Ecstasy", later featured on A Quiet Storm.

Until the late sixties, Robinson was teetotal, drug-free, a vegetarian and a self-described "health nut". However, by the time he was in his late twenties, Robinson began using marijuana. By the seventies, he was also dabbling in cocaine, however, Robinson said he only used it for recreation. By the early eighties, however, he had begun developing a cocaine addiction. Following the deaths of his father and close label mate Marvin Gaye, the demise of his marriage and his own career troubles, Robinson developed an addiction to crack.

Robinson got clean in 1986 after visiting a church under the advice of longtime friend Leon Kennedy. Robinson has said that since the church visit, he has been clean and sober. In 1989, Robinson wrote the memoirs, Inside My Life, in which he opened up about his drug use. In 2004, Robinson married his second wife, Frances Robinson. The couple currently lives in Los Angeles. That same year, his company, SFGL Foods, launched a gumbo brand called "Smokey Robinson's The Soul is in the Bowl Gumbo", which was produced after the release of Robinson's gospel album.

Awards and accolades[link]

Conductor Zubin Mehta laughs with singers Dolly Parton and Robinson during a reception for the Kennedy Center honorees in the East Room of the White House on Sunday, December 3, 2006.

In 1987, Robinson was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Two years later, in 1989, he was inducted to the Songwriter's Hall of Fame. In 1993, Robinson was awarded a medal at the National Medal of Arts. Two years before, he won the Heritage Award at the Soul Train Music Awards. In 2005, Smokey Robinson was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends online Hall of Fame as a solo artist.^[6] The Miracles were voted into Michigan Rock and Roll Legends in 2006.^[7] At its 138th Commencement Convocation in May 2006, Howard University conferred on Robinson the degree of Doctor of Music, honoris causa. In December 2006 Robinson was one of five Kennedy Center honorees, along with Dolly Parton, Zubin Mehta, Steven Spielberg and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

On March 20, 2009, The Miracles were finally honored as a group with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Smokey was present with original Miracles members Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, (Bobby's cousin) Claudette Rogers, and Gloria White, accepting for her husband, the late Ronnie White, whose daughter Pamela and granddaughter Maya were there representing him as well. Smokey's replacement, 1970s Miracles lead singer, Billy Griffin was also honored. Controversially, original Miracle Marv Tarplin was not honored, against the wishes of his fellow Miracles, and the group's fans, who felt that he should have also been there to share the honor.

On May 9, 2009, Smokey Robinson received an honorary doctorate degree and gave a commencement speech at Berklee College of Music's commencement ceremony.

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Smokey Robinson

	Book: Smokey Robinson
Wikipedia books are collections of articles that can be downloaded or ordered in print.

• Official Website of Smokey Robinson
• Smokey Robinson interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' December 1992
• Fresh Air interview
• Smokey Robinson's page at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
• Smokey Robinson's page at soulwalking.co.uk
• Smokey Robinson Biography and Update at SoulTracks
• Official Website for Smokey Robinson's "The Soul is in the Bowl" Gumbo
• Official Website of Smokey Robinson Gospel
• Smokey Robinson at the Internet Movie Database
• Smokey Robinson interviewed on the Pop Chronicles (1969).

v t e The Miracles Bobby Rogers Mark Scott Claudette Robinson Dave Finley Tee Turner Smokey Robinson Ronnie White Pete Moore Marv Tarplin Billy Griffin Donald Griffin Carl Cotton Sidney Justin Alphonse Franklin Pre-Miracles: Emerson "Sonny" Rogers James Grice Clarence Dawson Production Berry Gordy Smokey Robinson Pete Moore Studio albums Hi... We're The Miracles (1961) Cookin' with The Miracles (1961) I'll Try Something New (1962) The Fabulous Miracles (1963) The Miracles Doin' Mickey's Monkey (1963) I Like It Like That (1964) Going To A Go-Go (1965) Away We A Go-Go (1966) Make It Happen/The Tears Of A Clown (1967) Special Occasion (1968) Time Out For Smokey Robinson & the Miracles (1969) Four in Blue (1969) What Love Has Joined Together (1970) A Pocket Full Of Miracles (1970) One Dozen Roses (1971) Flying High Together (1972) Renaissance (1973) Do It Baby (1974) Don't Cha Love It (1975) City of Angels (1975) The Power of Music (1976) Love Crazy (1977) The Miracles (1978) Live albums The Miracles Recorded Live on Stage (1963) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles LIVE! (1969) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: 1957-1972 (1972) Other albums Christmas with The Miracles (1963) The Season for Miracles (1970) Compilations Greatest Hits from the Beginning (1965) Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1968) Anthology (1974) Greatest Hits (1977) Anthology '86 (1986) The Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Collection (1994) Anthology: The Best of Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (1995) The Ultimate Collection (1998) Ooo Baby Baby: The Anthology (2002) Smokey Robinson & The Miracles: Gold (2006) Depend On Me: The Early Albums (2009) Singles (US/UK Top Twenty singles) "Shop Around" "You've Really Got a Hold on Me"/"(Have a) Happy Landing" "Mickey's Monkey" "Ooo Baby Baby" "The Tracks of My Tears" "My Girl Has Gone" "Going to a Go-Go" "(Come 'Round Here) I'm The One You Need" "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" "I Second That Emotion" "If You Can Want" "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" "The Tears of a Clown" "I Don't Blame You At All" "Do It Baby" "Love Machine - Pt. I" Videography The Definitive Performances (1963–1987) (2006) Discography Albums Songs Related topics Berry Gordy See also Motown Records Book:The Miracles

v t e The Miracles singles discography 1950s "Got a Job" (1958) "Your Love (Is All I Need)" (1958) "I Cry" (1958) "I Need a Change" (1959) "It" (1959) " Bad Girl" (1959) "The Feeling Is So Fine" (1959) / " (You Can) Depend on Me" (1959) 1960s "Way Over There" (1960) "Shop Around" (1960) / Who's Lovin' You" (1960) "Ain't It Baby" (1961) "Mighty Good Lovin'" (1961) / Broken Hearted" (1961) "Everybody's Gotta Pay Some Dues" (1961) "What's So Good About Goodbye" (1961) / " I've Been Good To You" (1961) "I'll Try Something New" (1962) "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" (1962) / "Happy Landing" (1962) "A Love She Can Count On" (1963) / "I Can Take a Hint" (1963) " Mickey's Monkey" (1963) " I Gotta Dance to Keep From Crying" (1963) "The Christmas Song" (1963) "(You Can't Let the Boy Overpower) The Man in You" (1964) "I Like It Like That" (1964) "That's What Love Is Made Of" (1964) "Come On Do The Jerk" (1964) "Ooo Baby Baby" (1965) "The Tracks of My Tears" (1965) / "A Fork in the Road" (1965) "My Girl Has Gone" (1965) "Going to a Go-Go" (1965) / "Choosey Beggar" (1965) "Whole Lot of Shakin' in My Heart (Since I Met You)" (1966) "(Come 'Round Here) I'm the One You Need" (1966) "The Love I Saw in You Was Just a Mirage" (1967) "More Love" (1967) " I Second That Emotion" (1967) If You Can Want" (1968) "Yester Love" (1968) "Special Occasion" (1968) "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (1969) "Here I Go Again" (1969) / "Doggone Right" (1969) "Abraham, Martin & John" (1969) "Point It Out" (1969) / "Darling Dear" (1969) 1970s "Who's Gonna Take the Blame" (1970) "The Tears of a Clown" (1970) "I Don't Blame You At All" (1970) "Crazy About the La La" (1971) "Satisfaction" (1971) "We've Come Too Far to End It Now" (1972) "I Can't Stand to See You Cry" (1972) "Don't Let It End ('Til You Let It Begin)" (1973) "Give Me Just Another Day" (1973) "Do It Baby" (1974) "Don't Cha Love It" (1974) "Gemini" (1975) "Love Machine" (1975) "Night Life" (1976) "Spy for Brotherhood" (1977) "I Can Touch the Sky" (1977) "Mean Machine" (1978) Book:The Miracles

v t e Smokey Robinson Tamla/Motown albums Smokey (1973) Pure Smokey (1974) A Quiet Storm (1975) Smokey's Family Robinson (1976) Deep in My Soul (1977) Big Time (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) (1977) Smokin' (1978) Where There's Smoke... (1979) Warm Thoughts (1980) Being with You (1981) Yes It's You Lady (1982) Touch the Sky (1983) Essar {1984) Smoke Signals (1986) One Heartbeat (1987) Love, Smokey (1990) Intimate (1999) Other albums Double Good Everything (1991) Our Very Best Christmas (1999) Food for the Spirit (2004) Timeless Love (2006) Time Flies When You're Having Fun (2009) Singles (US/UK Top Ten singles) "Cruisin'" (1979) "Being with You" (1981) "Just to See Her" (1987) "One Heartbeat" (1987) Related articles Discography The Miracles The Miracles discography Book:Smokey Robinson

Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian Fragrance Launch, Glendale, CA on February 22, 2011
Born	Kimberly Noel Kardashian (1980-10-21) October 21, 1980 (age 31) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Ethnicity	Armenian, Dutch, Scottish
Occupation	Businesswoman, socialite, television personality, model, actress
Years active	2007–present
Height	5 ft 2.5 in (1.59 m)
Television	Keeping Up with the Kardashians Kourtney and Kim Take New York
Spouse	Damon Thomas (m. 2000–2004) «start: (2000)–end+1: (2005)»"Marriage: Damon Thomas to Kim Kardashian" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Kim_Kardashian) Kris Humphries (m. 2011) «start: (2011)»"Marriage: Kris Humphries to Kim Kardashian" Location: (linkback:http://en-wiki.pop.wn.com/index.php/Kim_Kardashian) (separated)
Parents	Robert Kardashian (father) Kris Jenner (mother) Bruce Jenner (stepfather)
Relatives	Kourtney Kardashian (sister) Khloé Kardashian (sister) Robert Kardashian Jr. (brother) Kylie Jenner (half-sister) Kendall Jenner (half-sister)
Website
kimkardashian.celebuzz.com

Kimberly Noel "Kim" Kardashian^[1] (born October 21, 1980^[2]) is an American socialite, celebutante, television personality, model, actress and businesswoman. She is known for starring in Keeping Up with the Kardashians, the E! reality series that she shares with her family, and its spin-offs including Kourtney and Kim Take New York.^[3]

Prior to the development of her career as a reality television star, Kardashian gained notoriety as the subject of a sex tape that subsequently resulted in a court awarding her $5 million. She has been involved in the production of several lines of clothing and fragrances. In 2010, she was the highest earning reality star, with estimated earnings of $6 million, and is one of the most highly documented and followed celebrities in the world in popular media.

In August 2011, Kardashian married basketball player Kris Humphries in a widely publicized ceremony. In October 2011, Kardashian filed for divorce, 72 days after the wedding.

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

Kardashian was born in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of attorney Robert Kardashian and his wife Kris Kardashian (née Houghton). Her father was a third generation Armenian American, and her mother is of Dutch and Scottish descent.^[4] Kardashian has two sisters, Kourtney and Khloé, and one brother, Robert. She has stepbrothers Burton Jenner, Brandon Jenner, and reality TV star Brody Jenner, step-sister Casey Jenner, and half-sisters Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner.^[5] She attended Marymount High School.^[6]

In 2000, Kardashian married music producer Damon Thomas; their relationship ended in divorce in 2004. Subsequently she dated R&B singer Ray J, NFL star Reggie Bush^[7] and Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin.^[8] She also dated model Gabriel Aubry.^[9]

2003–07: Controversy and reality television[link]

In February 2007, a home sex video that she made with singer Ray J in 2003^[10] was leaked.^[11] Vivid Entertainment bought the rights for $1 million and released the film as Kim Kardashian: Superstar on February 21.^[11] Kardashian sued Vivid for ownership of the tape. In late April 2007, Kardashian dropped the suit and settled with Vivid Entertainment for $5 million.^[12]

Kardashian was a friend of Paris Hilton, who introduced her to the socialite scene.^[13] Her first acting role was in the television series Beyond the Break. In October 2007, along with her two sisters, mother, brother, half-sisters, and stepfather she starred in the E! television series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. As of October 2011, the series has aired 69 episodes over six seasons.

2007–2010: Modeling and retail[link]

Kardashian in Santa Monica, California on May 13, 2009 at Maxim's 10th Annual Hot 100 Celebration

Kardashian co-owns a clothing boutique called D-A-S-H with her sisters Kourtney and Khloé.^[14] In December 2007, Kardashian posed nude for Playboy.^[15] In February 2008, Bongo Jeans announced that she would be their face model.^[16] She has also modeled for Carl's Jr., Sugar Factory lollipops, and various other products.^[17][18]

Kardashian starred in the 2008 disaster film spoof Disaster Movie as Lisa,^[19] and appeared in the How I Met Your Mother episode "Benefits". She also appeared on the Season 3 premiere of the series 90210 with her sisters Khloé and Kourtney; they all played themselves.^[20] Kardashian was a guest hostess of WrestleMania XXIV and appeared as a guest judge during Cycle 13 of America's Next Top Model.^[21] On December 16, 2009, Kardashian made a guest star appearance on CBS's CSI: NY with Vanessa Minnillo.^[22][19] In 2009 she had a cameo as club bouncer in the 2009 porn film spoof Deep in the Valley^[19]

Kardashian was one of 13 participants on the seventh season of Dancing with the Stars.^[23][19] She was partnered with Mark Ballas and was the third contestant voted off the show on September 30, 2008, finishing in 11th place overall.^[24] Sanford Siegal, the creator of the Cookie Diet, sued Kardashian, claiming she defamed him on Twitter. According to Siegal, Kardashian tweeted in October 2009 that he was "falsely promoting" that she was on the cookie diet. Siegal filed a claim in a Florida state court claiming the statements are false and defamatory. He also alleges that Kardashian was on QuickTrim's payroll when she posted the tweet. Kardashian's tweet appears to stem from an article on CookieDiet.com, that named Kardashian as one of many celebrities who saw positive results on the diet. Kardashian sent a cease-and-desist order to Siegal, demanding the link be removed.^[25]

Kardashian released her own fragrance product in 2010.^[26] In March 2009, Kardashian launched an endorsement with ShoeDazzle shopping,^[27] of which she is the co-founder and chief fashion stylist.^[17] The following month on April 9, 2009, Kardashian released a workout DVD series, Fit In Your Jeans By Friday, with trainers Jennifer Galardi and Patrick Goudeau.^[14][28] In September 2009, Fusion Beauty and Seven Bar Foundation launched "Kiss Away Poverty", with Kardashian as the face of the campaign. For every LipFusion lipgloss sold, $1 went to the Foundation to fund women entrepreneurs in the US.^[29]

She has also been featured in numerous international editions of FHM, including the cover of the April 2010 Australian edition and the UK March 2011 edition.^[30] Famous Cupcakes, a Los Angeles bakery, created a vanilla cupcake mix for Kardashian. The cupcake flavor is called Va-Va-Va-Nilla.^[17] Kardashian has also created jewelry along with her sisters, Khloé and Kourtney. They produced a collection for Virgins, Saints, and Angels in 2010.^[31]

Again with her sisters, Kardashian has released various clothing lines. One called K-Dash was to be sold on QVC in 2010,^[32] and in the same year they produced a range for Bebe.^[33][34][35] As of August 2011 they are creating another for Sears, called the Kardashian Kollection.^[36] In addition, Kardashian and her sisters created a sunless tanner called Kardashian Glamour Tan in 2010.^[37] On July 1, 2010, the New York City branch of Madame Tussauds revealed a wax figure of Kardashian.^[38]

2010–present: Marriage and other ventures[link]

Kardashian is the producer of The Spin Crowd, a reality television show about Command PR, a New York City public relations firm, run by Jonathan Cheban and Simon Huck. The show follows them as they settle into their new offices in Los Angeles. Kardashian is friends with both, specifically Cheban, and frequently appears on her reality shows. She also appeared at the 2010 MTV VMAs on September 12, 2010.^[39] She also appeared in and was the subject and judge of a task on the ninth episode of Season 10 of The Apprentice in 2010; the two teams had to create an in-store display for her new perfume line, to be sold at Perfumania.^[40][41] Kim, Kourtney, and Khloé wrote an autobiography entitled Kardashian Konfidential, which was released in stores on November 23, 2010.^[42]

Kardashian at the Style Your Slim event.

In April 2010, Kardashian sparked controversy over the way she held a cat for a photograph.^[43] The same year, animal rights organization PETA criticized Kardashian for repeatedly wearing fur coats, and named her as one of the five worst people or organizations of 2010 when it came to animal welfare.^[44] In June 2010, The Guardian commented on her ability to attract payments of up to US$10,000 from sponsors for each tweet that she broadcasts.^[45]

In December 2010, Kardashian filmed a music video for a song titled "Jam (Turn It Up)". The video was directed by Hype Williams; Kanye West makes a cameo in the video.^[46] Kardashian premiered the song during a New Year's Eve party at TAO Las Vegas on December 31, 2010.^[47] The song was produced by The-Dream and Tricky Stewart. When asked if an album is in the works, Kardashian replied: "There's no album in the works or anything – just one song we did for Kourtney and Kim Take New York, and a video Hype Williams directed, half of the proceeds we're giving away to a cancer foundation, because The-Dream's and one of my parents passed away from cancer. It's just all having fun – with a good cause".^[48] Jim Farber, writing for the Daily News, called the song a "dead-brained piece of generic dance music, without a single distinguishing feature," and suggested that the single made Kardashian the "worst singer in the reality TV universe."^[49]

Kardashian's 2010 earnings were the highest among Hollywood-based reality stars, being estimated at $6 million.^[50]

Kardashian has supported the recognition of the Armenian Genocide on numerous occasions and has encouraged Barack Obama and the United States government to consider its acknowledgement. On April 21, 2011, a few days before the 96th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, she wrote about the issue on her blog in an effort to put it under spotlight and also sent a tweet to her fans urging its recognition.^[51]

Kardashian began dating NBA player Kris Humphries of the New Jersey Nets in October 2010. They became engaged in May 2011,^[52] and married on August 20, 2011 in Montecito, California.^[53] A two-part TV special showing the preparations and the wedding itself aired on E! in early October 2011, amidst what the Washington Post called a "media blitz" related to the wedding.^[54] After 72 days of marriage, Kardashian filed for divorce from Humphries on October 31, 2011, citing irreconcilable differences.^[55] After filing for the divorce, Kardashian asked the court to order Humphries to pay his own legal expenses.^[56] On December 1, 2011, Humphries filed his response to Kardashian's petition, requesting an annulment on the grounds of fraud or if the court will not grant an annulment, a decree of legal separation rather than Kardashian's requested divorce.^[57]

Several news outlets have surmised that Kardashian's marriage to Humphries was merely a publicity stunt to promote the Kardashian family's brand and their subsequent television ventures.^[58] Her former publicist has also claimed that her short-lived wedding was indeed staged and a ploy to generate money. Kardashian has since filed suit against him, saying his claims were untrue.^[59] A widely circulated petition asking to remove all Kardashian related programing off the air has been followed since their split.^[60] In March 2012, Kardashian and her sisters Kourtney and Khloe were named in a $5 million class action lawsuit against QuickTrim, the weight loss supplement they endorse.^[61]

Filmography[link]

References[link]

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External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Kim Kardashian

• Official website
• Kim Kardashian at the Internet Movie Database
• Kardashians join forces with Australian designer at Mediasearch